Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-04-17
sAcHeR-MAsocH, THE NOVELIST.
An Austrian Authors story OF h Late
suicide King of Bavaria.

An Austrian Authors story OF the Late
suicide King Of bavaria.
Whatever may be the nationality OF u
writer, il he possesses style, imagination,
originality, the French fete him, decorate
his buttonhole, and indeed make him the
fashion in Paris. English, Americans,
Italians and Russians have been thus re-
ceived by the French nation, and to-day
native novelists are almost forgotten for
Tolstoi and DostOlewski. ! am forcibly
impressed by the hospitality of the French
nation toward foreigners because OF the
warm reception given Sacher-M asoch, the
Austrian novelist-a reception that aston
ishes the author himself perhaps more
than any one else. One day, at Nine.
Adams, h0 said 10 me;
Alexander Dumas spent " hours at
my house yesterday. Why did he' n
not understand what | have ever done to
merit his attention
Sacher- Masoch gave me the pleasure Of
a visit one afternoon, and although he
speaks eight languages, English is not in
the list. Our conversation was therefore
In French.
In speaking Of his novels | mentioned
one in which a Polish count takes great
interest in a youth. He consecrates him
self To the education of this boy, and
makes him the confidant of his joys and
sorrows. When the youth is strong
enough TO discuss abstruse subjects with
his protector, the count discovers that his
protege Is a wOman The idea that a ma
terial question may alter the philosophi-
- - thafr raiatfnpS aauSac tho
grand seigneur TO take refuge in flight,
and here the romance ends.
"Would you like "a story stranger than
the novel itselfs'' said Sacher-Masoc TO
me. ''Some time after il appeared ! re-
ceiyed an anonymous letter, in which the
writer proposed a spiritual friendship, like
that Of the Polish count, and added that
there would be no danger of a similar
rupture, as he was a man. Ia every line
was a sentimental appeal to my pity.
The final phrase ended in this way: To
win back to life n soul that only meditates
suicide Naturally thought the letter
was written by a woman, and the second
epistle only confirmed my theory, for this
one appointed a rendezvous in n little vii
lage, with the condition that during the
lllltlN INV lily ~ Go lAbulNA NC 'il'Aat-ths u
went; blindfolded myself. One moment
after a rich. masculine voice said Thank
you.' ! was disappointed, | confess, but
/ listened 10 this melodious voice, which
made me the most flattering proposals OF
friendship. One year these interviews
took place from time to time, and when
anything prevented me from keeping an
appointment, according to my instruc.
lions, / sent letters TO London, Vienna,
Paris, etc. My answers were always on
paper stamped with a ducal coronet and
signed Anatole. One day Anatole said To
me:
"I authorize you 10 regard me-
Quickly | raised my bandage, and saw
the handsomest man ] ever beheld. He
held out his hand to me and said:
"'lf thou lowest me a little, if thou hast
understood that thy destiny is to save me,
to cure me, and thy role TO snatch me
from despair, leave thy home. Let mine
be thine, and thou shalt be great, rich
and powerful
~ was ~stupe1ed, but, remembering my
wife and child, declined Anatole's offer.
Some days later | studied the photographs
in a Viennese shop window; among them
/ saw that Of Anatole, and underneath
WAS written: IS. NJ. Louis III, Roi de
Baviere.' Who knows but the unfortu
nate king might be living to-day had
responded TO his earnest entreaty!'-Paris
Cor. Chicago Times.